Device for holding mandolins.



C. VENTER. DEVICE FOR HOLDING MANDOLINS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. l6, I915.

Patented Mar. 21, 1916.

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UNITED STATES PATENT onsrc CONRAD VENTER, OF PARLIER, CALIFORNIA.

DEVICE FOR HOLDING MANDOLINS.

Application filed September 16, 1915.

To all whom it may 0011 00m:

Be it known that I, CONRAD VENTER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Parlier, in the county of Fresno, State of California, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for HoldingMandolins; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in devices forholding musical instruments or other objects in position whereby theymay be operated without necessitating the use of the operators hand insupporting the same, and whereby such instruments or other objects maybe held for display, as in the show window of a shop, it being theobject of the present invention to provide such a holding device forsupporting mandolins or instruments of like shape.

It is more specifically the object to provide such a holder whichcomprises an exceedingly simple structure which may be readily attachedto an instrument to firmly hold it, and may be attached in such manneras not to interfere with playing the instrument, or with a propershowing of the instrument should it be placed on display.

With these and other objects in view, the invention resides in the novelcombination, formation and arrangement of parts to be more fullyhereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings andparticularly pointed out in the claim hereto appended.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings wherein similar charactersof reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,and in which Figure 1 is a. perspective view showing the improved holdersecured to and holding a mandolin. Fig. 2 is a sectional view throughthe socket. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a mandolin with the improvedholder attached thereon. Fig. l is a plan view of the blank from whichthe body of the holder is formed. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the springstrap.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the improved holder isshown as supporting the mandolin 5 including the body portion, which isoval-shaped in plan Specification of Letters IPatent.

Patented Mar. 21, 1616.

Serial No. 51,085.

with the arm extending therefrom. The body of this holder is formed of asingle piece of sheet metal which when laid out in blank is ofsubstantially V-shape comprising the divergent arms 6 and the connectingportion 7, and the blank is bent at this connecting portion, with thearms 6 having their free ends inwardly off-set at 8 to form a structureoval in plan for seating the upper edge portion of the mandolin body.The holder is held from slipping with relation to the body by tabs 9formed along the upper edges of the arms 6 and bent inwardly over thetop face of the mandolin, and by the transverse inclination of its arms.The top of the connecting portion 7 is cut away at 10 to receive the armof the instrument.

The holder is applied to the instrument by bending it about theinstrument and passing a clamping bolt 11 through openings 12 in theoffset end portions 8 of the arms to draw said arms together and thusclamp the holder on the instrument, the inner face of this holder beingpreferably covered with a layer of felt 13 or like material to protectthe face of the instrument.

The means for attaching this holder to a suitable supporting rod 1ecomprises a spring strap 15 of substantially U-shape having the free endof one of its arms offset at 16 to engage in a socket member 17 se curedon the side of the holder and having the free end of its other arm bentbackwardly as at 18 to engage in a socket member 19 adjustable on therod. This socket member comprises a strip which is intermediately bentto provide the socket and has its ends extended to embrace the rod. Acam lever 20 is pivoted between the ends of this strip and engageablewith the rod to clamp the socket member at desired elevation thereon.The spring member 15 is so preferably formed that the mandolin is heldat an angle of about 45 degrees to both the vertical and horizontalplanes, and this inclination of the mandolin may be adjusted as desiredby changing the shape of the spring member 15.

An exceedingly simple device has thus been provided which may be readilyapplied to or detached from a mandolin or like in strument to supportthe same.

While I have illustrated and described a particular embodiment of myinvention, I l

have merely done so for the sake of convenience and I do not wish to belimited to that particular embodiment as it is obvious that numerouschanges may be made Within the details of construction thereof Withoutin any Way departing from the spirit of the invention or exceeding thescope of the appended claim.

What is claimed, is

A holder of the class described formed of a substantially V-shaped blankbent together at its bight, securing tabs at the upper edges of the armsbent inwardly to engage the object, the free ends of the arms being in-Wardly oflset, a securing bolt passed through said ends, supportingmeans for the holder comprising a strip bent to form a socket, aresilient arm having one end detachably connected to the holder and itsother end detachably engaged in the socket.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature, in the presence of twoWitnesses.

CONRAD VENTER. WVitnesses:

ARTHUR R. SECORD, GEO. E. SECORD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents-each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

